"Prosecutor's 'lesbian' argument wins new trial for maid": Bob Egelko of The San Francisco Chronicle has an article that begins, "When a live-in household maid was charged with molesting her employers' young daughter, the prosecutor told the jury her motive was that she was a lesbian, 'attracted to females' of any age. That argument was both scientifically unfounded and prejudicial, a state appeals court said Thursday in overturning the woman's conviction and 16-year prison sentence."

"California Governor Appeals Court Ruling Overturning Protections for Teachers": Sunday's edition of The New York Times will contain an article that begins, "Wading into an intense national battle that has pitted teacher unions against a movement to weaken tenure protections, Gov. Jerry Brown has appealed a California judge's sweeping ruling that threw out teacher job protection laws on the ground that they deprived students of their constitutional rights."Posted at 08:57 PM by Howard Bashman

Friday, August 29, 2014

"Court revives lawsuit in fatal police shooting in Anaheim; Appeals court says jury must decide whether officers acted reasonably in the death of Caesar Cruz in 2009": The Orange County Register has this report.

"State Licensing Boards Under Fire From Within": In yesterday's edition of The Wall Street Journal, Angus Loten and Sarah E. Needleman had an article that begins, "The Supreme Court will take up an antitrust case this fall that could curb the proliferation of state licenses, a top worry for U.S. small-business owners and entrepreneurs."Posted at 08:17 AM by Howard Bashman

"The Extreme Partisanship of John Roberts's Supreme Court: Like Barack Obama, the chief justice came into office promising an age of apolitical comity; And like the president, he has seen his dream die." Law professor Garrett Epps has this essay online at The Atlantic.Posted at 10:54 AM by Howard Bashman

"Florida court fast-tracks key gay marriage case to state Supreme Court; In a somewhat unusual move, a Florida court directly referred a case involving the divorce of a same-sex couple to the state Supreme Court; The high court's decision could make Florida the 20th state to legalize gay marriage": Warren Richey of The Christian Science Monitor has this report.Posted at 10:18 PM by Howard Bashman

"A bench slap portends trouble in paradise": Last Friday at his "Hercules and the Umpire" blog, Senior U.S. District Judge Richard G. Kopf had a post that begins "This post is about politics within the federal judiciary. It also about pecking order within the hierarchy of the federal judiciary. While I don't care a bit about the substantive issue, the dispute I am about describe is fascinating because it has the potential of setting up a battle of judicial titans and I am a voyeur."Posted at 08:02 PM by Howard Bashman

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

"Plebiscite appeal heard: 9th Circuit judges take on political status vote." The Pacific Daily News of Guam has this report.

A photograph accompanying the article shows that Circuit Judge N. Randy Smith did his usual pre-argument courtroom meet-and-greet before the session began.Posted at 07:58 PM by Howard Bashman

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

"NOM's appeal denied to defend Oregon marriage law": The Salem Statesman Journal has a news update that begins, "The right of same-sex couples to marry in Oregon was further solidified Wednesday afternoon through a ruling issued by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals."

"Offerman appeals judgment in bat attack case": The Associated Press has a report that begins, "Former major league baseball player Jose Offerman is appealing a federal court order that he pay $940,000 to a catcher injured during a minor league brawl in 2007."

"Court rules records of threats against Kasich are not public": The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch has a news update that begins, "The Ohio Supreme Court ruled today that records of threats against Gov. John Kasich are not public records since they contain information that could threaten the safety of the governor."